CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Jim Larranaga left the Washington area for Miami, with hopes of taking another men’s team to the Final Four.

To make that plan a reality, he is headed back to Washington.

Larranaga and his Hurricanes (29-6) face Marquette (25-8) in the East Regional semifinals on Thursday night, a game to be played at the Verizon Center — a half-hour drive or so away from his former workplace, George Mason, the school he led to the Final Four in 2006. And Mason won its regional at, you guessed it, the same arena where the Hurricanes are headed this week, where Larranaga cut down the nets seven years ago.

Given all that, good karma seemingly will be awaiting Miami.

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“It’ll definitely help us up there,” Miami guard Rion Brown said. “What he did for that place was great. He brought it down here. I feel like there will be a lot of people there to support us and support him, and that’d be great.”

Hurricanes center Reggie Johnson had a minor surgical procedure to repair a meniscus problem and did not accompany the team on its flight to Washington, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Johnson could return for the Final Four if Miami advances, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the school did not publicly reveal the surgery.

The 6-foot-10, 292-pound senior is averaging 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds this season.

Larranaga’s demeanor on the floor rarely seems to change much, stoic but not cold on the sideline, active but never overly animated.

When he leaves the floor, something changes.

He takes phantom charges in the locker room. He dives for loose balls to the delight of his players. He’s a screamer of encouragement. And his latest viral-video move came when he channeled Muhammad Ali after Miami beat Illinois in the third round of the NCAAs, lauding his Hurricanes for being fighters and doing an “Ali Shuffle.”